Chapter 3: Cat Doll Palava

Within three seconds, I just accept this kind big news:

Musa Ifedolapo dey share sense with my sleep companion doll.

And I fit dey hear e mind.

For Naija, if person hear say your crush dey talk for your ear but e mouth no dey move, you go first think say na juju or mami water levels. But somehow, for my own case, the thing dey sweet me. E be like I just win NairaBet slip. I try balance for bed, dey reason the matter. Wetin Musa Ifedolapo dey find for my sleep doll?

Musa Ifedolapo breathe deep, voice still dey shake: “Your… your sleep companion doll, e fine well-well.”

“But abeg, no dey beat am like that… E dey pain am too.” Musa voice crack small, e eye dey avoid camera.

I still dey squeeze the cat head. The poor doll head don bend where I knock am. E for pain am true-true, abi?

I sharply shift my hand, dey feel small guilt. I softly rua the cat head again.

As I dey rub am, my mind dey float reach cloud nine. For inside Naija, if person dey do this kain soft, e mean say e like you well. I even fit imagine wetin all my hostel girls go talk if dem see this scene.

For the video, Musa Ifedolapo fine face just turn red. E cheek dey blush!

For guy wey dey always cold, see as e face dey change colour! Na miracle. If to say person fit snap am now, e for sell like hot akara for hostel WhatsApp group.

My hand waka from cat head reach tail, na so Musa Ifedolapo face come twist, like say e dey struggle hold something. Even vein for e forehead don show.

I form say I no see am. “Wetin dey do you? You dey look somehow.”

I add one small eyebrow raise for ginger. If na me, I for don burst laugh, but I hold am. Make e no say I too dey notice.

Musa Ifedolapo squeeze e fist: “Nothing, na mosquito bite me.”

I fit swear say for this dry season mosquito no too dey. But e try package.

E face dey form serious, but for e mind I hear:

[Kamsi touch me.]

[See as I happy.]

[I too like when she dey rua me. Abeg, rua me more!]

My belle sweet me scatter. For Naija, even hard guy get soft spot. I no fit hold laugh, but I just dey smile like person wey dem promise jollof for wedding.

Love?

I shock, dey look am. So this our cold, hard guy dey sweet for inside like this!

But—

How I go do?

E too cute abeg!

E be like say my like for am don double.

My mind dey run commentary: "Na so love dey be? See as cold guy dey melt for small touch." I dey thank God say this kind cruise enter my life.

I no fit hide my smile. My hand still dey gently stroke the soft body of the sleep companion doll.

“No worry, I too like this doll.”

“I go take care of am well.”

I use soft voice yarn am, like say I dey pet small pikin. E face just dey shine from phone.